Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[mic_midd86]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience!
I had to "flagpole" at the Osoyoos BC crossing in May last year. I had a nice person who was calm and once I explained what i needed (i had already landed in Vancouver, but the officer didn't stamp my passport and without the stamp you can't apply for a SIN) I filled out some forms and went into a room and game my fingerprints. Once all that was done i was given a piece of paper stating that I was denied entry into the country for administration purposes so it wasn't a "real" refusal plus I still had a valid ESTA so I was there Legally. Fast forward 7months, I'm working and living in BC have a PR card and all is done...or so i thought!
I went to Mexico for Christmas and had a long Lay-over in Seatle. When we landed i was seen by an officer who didn't look me in the eye or anything he took my fingerprint and then handed my a huge Red card and told me to follow the officer to a private room I had to walk through part of the airport with this officer hold this HUGE red card feeling like I was on banged up abroad or something!(at this point i was shitting myself!)
After waiting in a room with America's most wanted hanging on the wall, an officer spoke to me and said i was in the US illegally and that my ESTA wasn't valid. My finger prints are forever going to flag-up when i go to the US because i was denied entry into the US to Flagpole, even though i wasn't!
Thank god the officer understood what the deal was and let me go and enjoy my holiday...but on the way back...jees-o! Another officer another Red card and Loads more questions.
When the Snow has gone and it's safer to drive to Vancouver I now have to apply for a 10 year visitor visa to the US!!!
It's a bloody joke!

Hello Everyone, I haven't posted on here since last year but wanted to let you all know that my husbands PR only took a total of 6 months to come through and that was with them returning the application once to for us to add more information and one email from London asking for more photos (which they lost when they sent me the application package back.)

My only gripe and warning is this: if you decide to have your partner stay here in Canada as a visitor as we did, you will have the option of going to the US border to do what the US called Flagpole. But be advised it is a lesson in too much power and paranoia on the part of the Homeland Security folks. It sounds really easy but the not so pleasant American Border people interrogated me for 45 minutes and I don't exaggerate, they had an issue with the fact I changed my name years ago and was married before. They were accusatory and rude. I have no police or criminial record either. (I am a full blooded born right here Canadian and hubby is British born). They asked questions that made no sense to me since I was not actually "entering the USA" nor was I doing anything that should involve them. It was pretty awful to say the least. They didn't say a word to my husband. Eventually (with nothing to hold us on any longer) they led our car back to the line to drive back to Canada and we were 20 minutes in the CBSA office and they were lovely and kind.

So do be mindful that though it is an option to do the flagpole thing you better not be in a rush and better be ready to have people power trip all over you. After a long 6 hour drive I wasn't in the mood for it nor did I expect it.

Good luck everyone and I hope your applications go quickly and without too many problems.
Take Care
Tori

 

[canuck_in_uk]

After waiting in a room with America's most wanted hanging on the wall, an officer spoke to me and said i was in the US illegally and that my ESTA wasn't valid. My finger prints are forever going to flag-up when i go to the US because i was denied entry into the US to Flagpole, even though i wasn't!
Thank god the officer understood what the deal was and let me go and enjoy my holiday...but on the way back...jees-o! Another officer another Red card and Loads more questions.

An administrative refusal doesn't cause that. There have been a lot of people on here who received the admin refusal and then had no issues with US visas or the ESTA and entering the country.

If your ESTA was still valid on this recent trip, then it sounds like they didn't just give you an admin refusal when you flagpoled; it sounds as if they formally refused you.

 

[ghunter]

My partner and I had our final landing appointment today, and despite not receiving our final COPR in the post, i
am so happy to say that it was successful and we are done with this process. It's been the longest and most frustrating process, and I'm so happy that we are done. Good luck to everyone else!

 

[SchnookoLoly]

My partner and I had our final landing appointment today, and despite not receiving our final COPR in the post, i
am so happy to say that it was successful and we are done with this process. It's been the longest and most frustrating process, and I'm so happy that we are done. Good luck to everyone else!

Congrats, glad it's all done and dusted!! Thrilled for you.

 

[jkgtr]

OK once again i need a little assistance lol, so far:
Application sent in and recieved November 28th but returned due to a paperwork issue resent 22nd of december (from inside Canada) complete to mississauga.

I am about to change address in the next 30 days and was wondering if anyone knows who i should contact as the only reference numbers regarding my application that i have so far is the reciept of payment number.

I cannot get logged on to check my application and had a look about emailing the cic but they always request a client number or uci, which i do not have yet, do i sit it out and wait for them to get back to me or my wife regarding the sponsorship or does anyone know of a department i can email or call that will be of assistance?

unique one possibly i know but thanks in advance

John.

 

[Sweden]

My partner and I had our final landing appointment today, and despite not receiving our final COPR in the post, i
am so happy to say that it was successful and we are done with this process. It's been the longest and most frustrating process, and I'm so happy that we are done. Good luck to everyone else!

Congrats - and about time!! welcome (officially!) to Canada! glad it's over for you.
Sweden

OK once again i need a little assistance lol, so far:
Application sent in and recieved November 28th but returned due to a paperwork issue resent 22nd of december (from inside Canada) complete to mississauga.

I am about to change address in the next 30 days and was wondering if anyone knows who i should contact as the only reference numbers regarding my application that i have so far is the reciept of payment number.

I cannot get logged on to check my application and had a look about emailing the cic but they always request a client number or uci, which i do not have yet, do i sit it out and wait for them to get back to me or my wife regarding the sponsorship or does anyone know of a department i can email or call that will be of assistance?

unique one possibly i know but thanks in advance

John.

I'm not sure that they will be able to really locate your application. Could you get your mail forwarded for a month? CIC will likely approve your sponsorship part quite quickly, and most likely you will get it by email. But - in case they decide to send you a letter, set up a forwarding address for 1 month, so you won't miss anything. Once the sponsorship is approved, you will have enough time to change your mailing address in the application, as London won't look at your application right away, and you'll have your file number etc.
Sweden

 

[jkgtr]

thanks Sweden, yeah I will be setting up mail forwarding, but its just something I really wanted to get done. Dont like having complications during something so important lol just a personal thing, hopefully will hear back from cic around the time of the move, fingers crossed

 

[maica1x]

Hi, we are considering doing an outland ap but am confused. Myself and our 2 kids (2 and 4) are being sponsored by my husband, canadian citizen, and we are currently visiting him in canada. My flight is on feb 4th, but I am thinking of cancelling that and applying to extend my visa, and be able to stay in canada with him until the application is complete.

1. Will I need to apply for both my kids as well, its $150 each to extend. I know on inland aps, its implied status for all of us.
2. My passport wasn't stamped with an end date of visiting, but I know its 6 months fro British. Do i need to apply for extention before my return flight (4 mnth mark) or can i wait til just before 6 months and apply then?

THanks for the help.

My concern is for whichever way will get us all onto healthcare fastest here, I'm not so bothered about timeframe of residency...inland/outland is still debatable for us.

 

[Sweden]

Hi, we are considering doing an outland ap but am confused. Myself and our 2 kids (2 and 4) are being sponsored by my husband, canadian citizen, and we are currently visiting him in canada. My flight is on feb 4th, but I am thinking of cancelling that and applying to extend my visa, and be able to stay in canada with him until the application is complete.

1. Will I need to apply for both my kids as well, its $150 each to extend. I know on inland aps, its implied status for all of us.
2. My passport wasn't stamped with an end date of visiting, but I know its 6 months fro British. Do i need to apply for extention before my return flight (4 mnth mark) or can i wait til just before 6 months and apply then?

THanks for the help.

My concern is for whichever way will get us all onto healthcare fastest here, I'm not so bothered about timeframe of residency...inland/outland is still debatable for us.

If your husband is the father of the kids, they might already be Canadians, so then they wouldn't need to be sponsored.
If they're not Canadian, then yes you would have to apply for an extension for each I suppose - $75 for each extension.
to extend, you can wait until the end of the 6 months. You can cancel your flight and stay here then ask for an extension ( that will normally be granted).

For healthcare : it depends on the province. Spouses of Alberta residents get healthcare even on visitor visa, some BC residents can get healthcare faster (even before becoming PR). for other provinces, it doesn't seem to be the case.

Outland versus inland: go for outland. By the time you get the first stage approved (and thus healthcare), you most likely will have your full PR with outland - so no reason to apply inland, and if you need to leave Canada for a family emergency, inland becomes very tricky. Outland via London is faster than first stage inland for a lot of applicants going through London.

Good luck,
Sweden

 

[maica1x]

Thank you Sweden! We have been in Vancouver for 3 months now, and I spoke to MSP and they specifically told me that I cannot go onto their healthcare until AIP is reached. But, I have spoken to so many 'reps' in regards to immigration and healthcare that I have a differnt answer to the same question everytime. It's very frustrating. Kids are not deemed resident as dad got his citizenship through his mum - that's what lawyer said. Again, really appreciate your help.

 

[vmeehan]

Hello Every one I just wanted to update my timeline for common-law
sponsorship outside Canada. (London Office)
Application received Oct 28 2013 Mississagua

We sent you a letter on November 14, 2013 about the decision on your application. (From Mississauga)

Then the London Office posted.
We received VOM application for permanent residence on October 29, 2013.

Medical results have been received.

**It stayed like this until today even though I received my COPR (permanent residence in the post yesterday)
Then today it was updated with:

We started processing VOM's application on January 6, 2014.

A decision has been made on VOM's application. The office will contact VOM concerning this decision.

Im elated and just wanted to let you know if you have a good application together then the will process it fast.
I mean I'm so shocked it was all processed in 9 weeks.
You don't need an immigration lawyer if you PUT the effort in.
Good luck to everyone on here and if I can help just let me know

 

[stu08]

DECISION MADE! WOOHOO!

 

[saeedar]

DECISION MADE! WOOHOO!

Congratulation! Is the decision for sponsorship? When did you send your application and when you got the answer?

 

[maica1x]

Wow,that's amazing- CONGRATS!. Gives me hope that mine may go through fast too...but I know most times that doesn't happen!

Any tips on type/how much evidence you put in that made decision easy for them? I've known my husband for 12 years now and we have 2 kids. Have loads photos showing that and planning on arranging photocopies of them in timeline with comments, perhaps 2 a year or so (as its 12 years) to show us together and with families. Also lots of emails over period, and credit report, letter from rental agency of our joint rentals. But have no bills as such with both names on. Joint account though since 2007. Any advise helpful!

Does anyone know as well if i do outland app and am in canada, how does my status change to PR? Do I need to leave canada and come back in on different status?

 

[Ralphstars]

For healthcare : it depends on the province. Spouses of Alberta residents get healthcare even on visitor visa, some BC residents can get healthcare faster (even before becoming PR).


Sweden

Hi Sweden - I am about to move to Alberta as a Visitor with my son in 2 weeks to wait out the remainder of our Outland PR application (after a year apart from my husband ) as we can now get my son into school after approval by the School Board for funding (since we have a spousal PR application in process and my Canadian husband is our sponsor, my son (his step-son) - is entitled to go to school ) - I was advised we would need medical insurance until the PR was approved before we were entitled to Alberta Healthcare - but you seem to know differently - how do we check ?

Thanks if you can help
Nicky